Wire bed-bottom.



` Patented Apr. 8, |902. J. HUEY.

wma Ben BTTom.

(Application led May 17, 1901.)

(No Model.)

Nimh STATES Parati i Fries.

JOHN IIOEY, OFSAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

WIRE BED-BOTTOM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 697,087, dated April 8, 1902,

Application tiled May 17, 1901. Serial No. 60,667. (No model.)

To all wiz/0m it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN l-IOEY, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Vire Bed- Bottoms; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe same.

My invention relates to improvements in bed-bottoms of that class in which the bearing-surface is composed of woven wire.

Theobjectof this invention is to combine two elastic and essentially parallel, separate, and horizontal fabrics in a bed, so that all the desirable qualities of the readily-yieldin g Lipper fabric may, when the weight is increased, be supplemented by a second and preferably less yielding surface below, and in conjunction with these of a continuous yielding pad or mattress of substantially even thickness i11- terposed between the entire surfaces, so as to gradually transmit the pressure from the upper to the lower one.

My invention also comprises details of construction, which will be more fully explained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure lis a portion of an underneath plan of my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section at fr of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a plan showing amodification. Fig. is a longitudinal section at y y, Fig. 3.

When woven wire mattresses are made of light material, they will sag under considerable Weight and soon get out of shape, besides being very uncomfortable for the occupant on account of the sinking of the central portion, and if the fabric is woven suciently sti to bear the weight placed upon it it is too unyielding and hard for comfort.

It is the object of my invention to so combine the upper mattress with a yielding support, so located with reference to it that it receives the weight when the upper mattress has been slightly depressed.

Another object of my invention is to provide a tension upon the lower side of the end bars, so that the tension of the mattress stretched across the upper side will be in a measure counterbalanced and the tendency ofthe end bars to turn by reason of a strain entirely upon one side will be counteracted'.

In my present invention I have shown the` side bars A and the end bars B. For certain classes of beds the side bars may rest upon the cross-slats of the bed and the end bars are raised above the side bars by means of blocks 2, so that the mattress will be brought above the rails of the bedstead, and the end bars may also be projected, so as to overhang these rails and bring the edges of the mattress out flush therewith. In other constructions the end bars maybe bolted directly to the top of the side bars and the blocks 2 may be located below the ends of the side bars in order to raise the mattress to the desired height. I have illustrated both these constructions in showing my invention.

3 is the upper woven-wire mattress, which is stretched across the top of the end bars B and bent over the outer edges,where it is secured by staples or other suitable fastening, and when the mattress is complete'these ends may be covered by a supplemental strip, as at et, which conceals the raw edges and at the same time assists in securing the fabric by the short bend at right angles, which is made over the upper outer edge. When the fabric has been thus stretched and weight is put upon it, the entire strain is brought upon'the upper sides of the end bars, and the tendency is to twist these bars about the bolts 5, which secure them to the side bars. In order to counteract this tendency, I have shown the supplemental supports 6 and '7, which are extended below the end bars, turning upwardly over the outer edges and being secured in the same manner as the Wovenwire upper fabric. As shown at 6, these su pports consist of elastic cables, which are stretched longitudinally beneath the end bars and at a distance from the upper fabric equal to the thickness of said bars. are then drawn toward each other transversely by links or clips, as at 8. The cables next adjacent to the side rails are secured to the rails at intervals by staples. The portion midway between each pair of staples is then drawn transversely and connected with the corresponding portion of the next adjacent cable by clips, as at 8. This cable is again These cables l IOO connected with the third in line transversely with the staples which secure the first cable.

cable is again connected with this one by clips 8b, thus alternating from one side to the other of the bed-bottom and producing a series of elongated diamondfshaped spaces between .the cables. These cables are thus all stretched'to any desired degree of tension and exercise a pull upon the lower side of the end bars which counteracts the strain of the upper woven-Wire fabric.

As shown in Fig. 3, the lower structure is made of woven -wire fabric instead of the cables of Fig. l, and this fabric is preferably heavier and stier than the upper one. In this case the fabric is stretched across the lower sides of the end bars, upturned at right angles over the outer edges, and securedl by staples and the strip 4 in the same manner as the upper fabric. The tension thus counterbalances the strain on the end bars.

When weight is placed upon the upper fabric, it will be depressed and will gently come into contact with the lower fabric, which thus adds its strength and elasticity to support the Weight upon the bed and to prevent the latter sinking to a greater extent than is desirable.

In some cases it may be found desirable to insert some soft fabric, such as a thin pad a, of resilient material, Which will tend still further to preserve the buoyancy and shape of the bed.

1. The combination in a bed-bottom of av rigid rectangular frame, two su perposed elastic fabrics, stretched between said frame and one of said fabrics serving as a reinforce for the other, and a continuous yielding pad or mattress parallel with and interposed between the entire inner surfaces of the two fabrics, and adapted to gradually transmit the pressure of the upper fabric to the' lower one.

2. The combination in a bed-bottom, of a rigid rectangular frame composed of side and end bars, parallel elastic fabrics stretched upon opposite sides of the frame so as to leave a clear uninterrupted space between the fabrics, one of said fabrics having a different degree of iiexibility than the other and serving as a reinforce for the latter, and as a means for counterbalancing the strain of the other fabric upon the end bars of the frame, and a pad extending parallel with the fabrics and through the space between them, and adapted to gradually transmit to the lower fabric, substantially throughout its length, lthe pressure of the upper fabric.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN HOEY.

Vitnesses:

W. R. PEAsE, FRANK rlWICHELL. 

